Control pedals are typically provided in a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, which are foot operated by the driver. Separate control pedals are typically provided for operating vehicle brakes and an engine throttle. When the motor vehicle has a manual transmission, a third control pedal is provided for operating a transmission clutch. Each control pedal typically has a pedal arm mounted to pivot between an at-rest or unapplied position and a fully applied position. Control pedals of this type typically include a mechanism that connects the pedal arm with the vehicle system to be actuated (brake system, throttle, system, or clutch system). This mechanism transmits force applied to the pedal arm by the operator to the system to be actuated.
Control pedals can also include crash management systems wherein the connection between the pedal arm and the vehicle system to be actuated is decoupled during a collision so that the pedal can move independent of the vehicle system to be actuated. The systems decouple the pedal arm from the system to be actuated during a collision to decrease interaction between the pedal and the operator's foot during the collision. It is believed that injuries to lower extremities of the operator can be reduced and/or avoided during a collision by reducing the interaction between the pedal and the operator's foot.
Operation of many prior crash management systems can be affected by the position of the pedal between its at-rest to fully applied positions. Additionally, many prior crash management systems are expensive to repair or replace after a collision. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved control pedal assemblies with crash management systems.